George Zimmerman’s defense team has released a color photo showing his bloody face and swollen nose the night he shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Does the photo help their claim of self-defense? We’ll talk about that and more with Zimmerman’s lawyer Mark O’Mara.

The photo was taken by a Sanford, Florida police officer. Prosecutors gave the high-resolution image to the defense in late October. Previously, only a black and white picture of Zimmerman’s bloody face was released.

The 28-year-old former volunteer neighborhood watchman is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting more than nine months ago. Martin’s family says he was killed “in cold blood” and they claim the unarmed teen was attacked for no reason.

Zimmerman told police Martin attacked him after they exchanged words, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly banging his head against the sidewalk.

The case has focused attention on Florida’s “stand your ground” law, which allows someone to use deadly force if they believe their life is in danger.

soundoff(21 Responses)

This is not self defense, a bloody lip please. He jumped an unarmed boy. What was he suppose to stand there and let the man shoot him. I don't doubt that the little boy tried to defend himself against a strange man jumping him. He was told not to follow him, but he did it anyway. That kid was no threat to him. He caused this situation by trying to be a cop, instead of waiting for the real ones.

December 5, 2012 at 5:36 am |

Fred

I do not care about his nose a boy is dead because he would not listen to the police

December 4, 2012 at 9:39 pm |

Fred

911 told him not to follow and he did my question is why?

December 4, 2012 at 9:36 pm |

PreachJohn

What the phone records will with a high degree of probability indicate, is that the young woman was distraught, getting hysterically out of her mind in fear, and simply didn't know what to do.Frozen and paralyzed. Not every one of us is able to remain coldly analytic under duress. Playing armchair Quarterback or General is too easy for all of us, including me, to do.

December 4, 2012 at 12:47 pm |

edenson mytil

that picture doesnt look real, because he was much heavier when he killed Trayvon Martin

December 4, 2012 at 12:12 pm |

Quetico

This is a scam! An outrage! This photo is a current photo. Zimmerman was way heavier when he murdered Martin. I hope AC points this out. If you don't believe me, just look a his arrest photo. Shameful.

December 4, 2012 at 10:23 am |

Rose

The only weapon Trayvon had in his hands was the cell phone. Where is cell phone now? Ask Hollywood makeup artists if they could do this "injury". Does photo have original time line imprint?

December 4, 2012 at 10:01 am |

Jane Lane

This goes well beyond self defense. Shooting a guy who punched you isn't self defense.

December 4, 2012 at 6:48 am |

Dorothy

I guess if I was being followed by a guy with a gun for no reason at all, I'd probably try & hit him in the face too & hopefully knock the guy out. At least Zimmerman is alive to tell his side of the story and if he hadn't followed Trayvon for no reason, Trayvon would likely still be alive to tell his story. Zimmerman should have gone to his car, stayed there or left & asked the police to look after things if necessary. I believe Trayvon would then have reached his destination alive and Zimmerman wouldn't have a bloody face. Stand your ground – guess it's okay to shoot someone dead & say you felt threatened!! What a tragedy!

December 4, 2012 at 1:38 am |

Christopher

This photo does nothing for his case. He was advised multiple times to stand back and let law enforcement handle the situation... WAIT there was on situation. It was simply a child walking back home from a convenience store. There was no threat against Zimmerman's Life. He made the conscious decision to get out and pursue this child, he was the aggressor.

December 4, 2012 at 1:33 am |

Maria

Looks fotoshopped

December 4, 2012 at 1:25 am |

Bruce

He was clearly inured, but I don't think this helps Zimmerman in a trial. The DA saw the photo and still decided to file murder charges. The altercation between the two of them must not be relevant for the prosecution's case and therefore, not exculpatory. I'm glad I won't be on this jury.

December 3, 2012 at 10:14 pm |

Kate

This photo is so fake. Someone suggested a lot of blurring in certain areas of his face. I saw a photoshop photo that someone had tried to fix before and this kind of evidence is a telltale sign the photo was manipulated. If people look at the police station photos hours after this crime they will see two different photos and two difference "injuries".

December 3, 2012 at 10:04 pm |

Rosemary Groves

I am not clear what this photo is attempting to suggest. I believe many of us already are aware that there was a physcial confrontation between the two men and this photo really doesn't answers the important questions. Why Zimmerman decided to leave his vehicle to follow the victim (after being told by the 911 dispatcher that the dispatcher did not need Zimmerman to continue to follow the victim), why did Zimmerman felt it necessary to stalk the victim, why did Zimmerman lie about his finances, why did Zimmerman apologized to the Martin family while in court to decide whether he receives bail or not (previously the Martins were contacted by Zimmerman's Attorney to request a meeting with the Martins so that the Zimmerman may apologize to the Martins and the Martins declined to accept Zimmerman's apology until after the trial. However, Zimmerman decided to apologize anyway). Zimmerman has no credibility and for those who believe he does, then shame on you.

December 3, 2012 at 7:59 pm |

Roy

It doesn't prove anything other than a physical altercation happens. It is pretty impossible to ask Trayvon for his side of things since he is dead.

I don't know what to believe on this, so I will let a jury decide instead. It's very possible that Zimmerman was struck first but a chance also exists that he was not. This photo doesn't sway me either way.

December 3, 2012 at 7:54 pm |

Carolyn

This does not help his case in my opinion – he was told to not pursue, he should not have left his car to pursue and he killed an unarmed teen – who would not have fought for their life if a stranger approached them in the dark? That is not a defense for Zimmerman, he should have stayed in his car!

December 3, 2012 at 7:40 pm |

Melissa

Well said!

December 3, 2012 at 11:34 pm |

john stevens TORONTO

that nose has been in a fight.

December 3, 2012 at 7:36 pm |

Kim

The State of Flordia has refused to release the most important evidence in the case: cell phone records for both Trayvon and the girl he was on the phone with during the attack. And make note that despite what this girl heard, she DID NOT ever call the police after the call dropped. Anyone with half a brain would have called the police to report an attack happening to their friend.

December 3, 2012 at 7:13 pm |

Lynda

Really good point Kim. I'd like to hear the transcripts of that call.

December 3, 2012 at 11:10 pm |

Jane Lane

You don't actually release all the evidence of a case before the case goes to trial. You taint the jury pool when you do that, which is probably precisely why this photo was released. That said, though, what would she have told the cops had she called them? Did she have an address to give? Is she like a lot of other black youth who live in fear of the cops because the cops aren't always on their side, even when they've done no wrong? Did she panic? Do we really know for a fact that she didn't call? Do we know for a fact what she heard? Can you honestly say you know for a fact what you'd do under those circumstances?